Basketball Shooting Training Article

ABSTRACT

The disclosure relates to basketball shooting training articles. The article includes a sleeve having an elongate cylindrical body with an opening at a proximal end and an opening at a distal end for passage of a player&#39;s arm therethrough. The sleeve includes release indicia located adjacent the proximal end of the article so that when the article is worn the release indicia is located between the player&#39;s elbow and shoulder, preferably at the player&#39;s bicep, and more preferably at the upper portion of the player&#39;s bicep. The sleeve may also include alignment indicia for aligning the player&#39;s arm and basketball with a target. A method for training proper basketball shooting technique and a method of constructing a basketball shooting training device are also provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/436,069, entitled “Basketball Shooting Training Article,” filed Jan. 25, 2011 having attorney docket number 6033-98918-US, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The disclosure relates to basketball shooting training articles.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Basketball players of all ages and skill levels often desire to improve their basketball shooting technique. There are many aspects to good shooting technique, including feet and body position, finger and hand position on the ball, elbow position, shoulder position, release of the ball, and follow-through. Even professional basketball players find that there is room for improvement in one or more aspects of their technique.

There are a variety of tools and devices that trainers and coaches use to improve a player's performance. U.S. Pub. No. 2009/0298621 describes a device for teaching a player to keep his or her elbow tucked to the side of the body and to keep the forearm and elbow at a 90 degree angle. The device includes arm straps and electronic components, including a speaker, IC voice chip, batteries, and an adjustable sensitivity switch, enclosed in a plastic square case. The device is worn on the forearm of the basketball player. An alarm sounds if the elbow moves away from the side of the body and away from proper shooting position.

U.S. Pub. No. 2010/0273585 describes a device also incorporating electronic components, and including a sleeve worn around the forearm or wrist of the shooting arm of a basketball player. The sleeve includes a light that illuminates or audible indicator that outputs a sound when the forearm of the player is in a substantially vertical position. The indicator is also described as a physical reference for the player's point of release, but simply alerting the player to the forearm being in the substantially vertical position is not sufficient in and of itself for training a player to develop proper shooting technique.

While these types of devices may be acceptable to be worn for brief periods of time during practice, the electronic devices tend to be bulky and cumbersome and are generally inappropriate to be worn during basketball games. Moreover, even if allowed under the rules governing a particular basketball league or organization, most players generally do not want their use of skill enhancing devices to be apparent to other players.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disclosure relates to an article for training proper basketball shooting technique. The article is provided to improve timing of release of the ball and shoulder position during shooting and release of the ball. Herein, the player's shooting arm is described so as to be divided into an upper arm which extends between the elbow and shoulder and a lower arm or the forearm. Further, the terms upper or proximal, when used to describe the arm or portions of the arm, means portions of the arm closer to the shoulder than to lower or distal portions of the arm, regardless of whether these portions are along the upper or lower arm. Similarly, the terms above and below are used to described respective upper and lower locations along the arm.

The article includes a sleeve having a cylindrical body with an opening at a proximal end and an opening at a distal end for passage of a player's arm therethrough. The sleeve includes release indicia located adjacent the proximal end that can be wider than the distal end so that the proximal end opening is larger than the distal end opening. The article is intended to be worn so that the release indicia is located along the player's upper arm, i.e., between the player's elbow and shoulder, preferably located at the player's bicep, and more preferably at the proximal, upper portion of the player's bicep. The wider proximal end of the sleeve is configured so that the player will wear the sleeve with the wider proximal end preferably adjacent and below the shoulder of the player's shooting arm with the narrower distal end adjacent the elbow (or below the elbow) so that the sleeve is fit securely on the player's shooting arm. During the act of shooting, the lower arm or forearm of the player's shooting arm should be at about a 90 degree angle to the player's upper arm. The forearm moves upward as the player takes the shot. As the forearm moves upward, the release indicia on the article comes into the field of view of the player's peripheral vision. When the player sees the release indicia in his or her peripheral vision, the player should release the ball. If the player does not see the release indicia, this is an indication that the player's shoulder of the shooting arm may not be properly aligned with their other shoulder so that the player is squared to the basket.

The article may further include alignment indicia for aligning the sleeve with a target such as a basketball hoop and thereby aligning the player's arm with the target. The alignment indicia is separate from the release indicia and located on the sleeve so that, when the article is worn, the alignment indicia is positioned adjacent to and above the player's elbow and below or at the player's bicep such as along the lower portion thereof. In one aspect, the sleeve is short enough in its axial length so that it fits on the player's upper arm and does not extend over the elbow and the alignment indicia is located adjacent the distal end of the sleeve such that when the sleeve is worn, the alignment indicia is positioned at the distal or lower portion of player's bicep.

Manifestly, the article or sleeve herein can be of different lengths such as to include longer sleeves that can be worn so that a proximal portion thereof is located on the upper arm and distal portion of the sleeve is located on the lower arm. In this form, the release indicia and the alignment indicia are printed on the sleeve proximal portion with the release indicia preferably closer to the proximal end of the sleeve than the alignment indicia to allow the release and alignment indicia to be positioned along the player's shooting arm in the locations as with the previously described shorter sleeve that is configured to be worn on the upper arm.

It should be noted that the sleeve proximal portion can extend onto the shoulder as well. In this instance, the sleeve could include an indicator such as a transverse line that is located axially between the release indicia and the alignment indicia along the sleeve. The release indicia remains adjacent the sleeve proximal end albeit axially spaced further therefrom than with sleeves that do not extend onto the shoulder. When wearing the sleeve, the player can line up the transverse line generally with the center of their bicep so that the release indicia is located at the bicep upper portion and the alignment indicia is located at the bicep lower portion.

The release and alignment indicia can be provided in a variety of configurations. In one aspect, the release indicia is provided as a circle and the alignment indicia is provided as two diverging lines. More particularly, the circular release indicia can be adjacent the sleeve proximal end and the diverging lines can be adjacent the sleeve distal end with the circular release indicia generally being centered relative to the lines which diverge away from the circular release indicia toward the sleeve distal end. Other configurations may be used as desired so long as the release indicia is positioned between the player's elbow and shoulder and the alignment indicia is located distally from the release indicia above the player's elbow and below or at the player's bicep.

The article preferably is configured so as not to shift or slip on the player's arm prior to or during shooting the basketball. The article should also preferably be unobtrusive, lightweight, and comfortably worn by a player during practice or during a game. The fabric used to provide the article includes a material that is comfortable yet has the flexibility necessary to provide the article with a snug fit over the upper arm of the wearer and to prevent the article from slipping out of place during movement of the player's arm.

The article may be provided with additional elements, if desired, to provide a close fit of the article about the upper arm of the player. In one aspect, the article may include a securing component, such as circumferential elastic material, to secure the article to the player's arm so that the article remains substantially in the same position during movement of the arm. The article may also include fasteners that can be used by the player so that the article does not move during play. For example, the article may include buttons that can be used to provide the desired level of tightness or close fit of the sleeve about the player's arm. The fasteners may also be used to fasten the article to a garment worn by the player.

A training method is also provided. The method includes:

positioning an article on the upper portion of a player's shooting arm, with the article including release indicia located between the player's elbow and shoulder, preferably located at the player's bicep, and more preferably at the upper or central portion of the player's bicep;

sighting the release indicia in the player's peripheral vision when raising the shooting arm to shoot a basketball; and

releasing the basketball when the release indicia is sighted.

The method may further include aligning alignment indicia of the article with a target prior to releasing the basketball.

The article can be provided in a variety of configurations. In one aspect, the article can be provided as a cuff or sleeve that is worn separately from articles of clothing on the player's upper body or can be provided as part of a garment such as a jacket, long sleeved shirt, sweatshirt, jersey, or the like, where a sleeve portion of that garment includes release indicia such that when the garment is being worn, the release indicia will be located between the player's elbow and shoulder.

A method of constructing a basketball shooting training device is also provided. The method includes:

providing a sleeve for fitting on a player's shooting arm; and

locating release indicia adjacent a proximal end of the sleeve with the release indicia used for timing the proper release of the basketball during shooting thereof.

The method may further include sizing the sleeve to fit on the player's upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow of the player's shooting arm with the release indicia adjacent an opening of the sleeve at the proximal end to allow the release indicia to be positioned at or adjacent the upper portion of the player's bicep of the shooting arm when the sleeve is worn. In another aspect, the method may include locating alignment indicia on the sleeve axially spaced from the release indicia with the alignment indicia used for aligning the player's shooting arm with a target. By one approach, the alignment indicia includes a pair of lines that diverge away from each other as the lines extend distally on the sleeve. Locating the release indicia adjacent the sleeve proximal end includes generally centering the release indicia relative to the alignment indicia lines longitudinally spaced therefrom.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of a basketball training article showing a sleeve having release indicia thereon.

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of an alternative basketball training article showing a sleeve having both release and alignment indicia thereon.

FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the training article of FIG. 2 showing the release indicia adjacent one end of the sleeve generally centered relative to the alignment indicia adjacent the opposite sleeve end.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a player undertaking a basketball shooting motion while wearing the sleeve and showing the alignment indicia directed toward the basket and the release indicia in the player's field of view.

FIG. 5 is a side view of a player undertaking a basketball shooting motion while wearing the sleeve and showing the position of the release indicia and alignment indicia relative to the player's arm.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a player wearing the sleeve so that the release indicia is oriented adjacent the shoulder and the alignment indicia is oriented adjacent the elbow.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a player wearing the sleeve showing elastic bands extending circumferentially around the sleeve ends.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Basketball shooting training devices have often overlooked that an important aspect of teaching good shooting technique is timing of the release of the ball and position of the player's shoulders during release. Players often have a tendency for the shoulder on the shooting arm to sink or pull back away from the ball during the shooting process. In other words, rather than squaring up to the basket so that a line between the shoulders extends orthogonally to a line from the player to the basket, shifting the shooting shoulder back causes the shoulder line to extend obliquely to the line between the player and the basket. Players also often misjudge the timing of the release of the ball, thus resulting in a missed shot.

The training article disclosed herein is provided to assist a basketball player in improving the timing of release and shoulder position of the shooting arm when shooting a basketball. Advantageously, the training article can be comfortably worn during both practice and games and are not readily perceived as being a training device by other players.

One embodiment of the training article is shown in FIG. 1. The illustrated article comprises a sleeve 10 with a cylindrical body 12 with openings 14 at proximal end 16 and distal end 18. The cylindrical body 12 when opened will have a central axis extending therethrough. As illustrated, the cylindrical body 12 is axially elongated to have a length greater than its width, although it is possible the body 12 could be axially shorter or longer than that illustrated herein. The openings 14 are sized for passage of a player's arm therethrough. In one aspect, the proximal end 16 of the sleeve 10 is wider than the distal end 18 thereof so that the opening 14 at the proximal end 16 is larger than the opening 14 at the distal end 18 to permit passage of the player's bicep therethrough. FIG. 3 best shows the wider opening 14 at proximal end 16 of sleeve 10 with the sleeve 10 tapering down to the narrower distal end 18 thereof. In this manner, the sleeve 10 is configured to be worn so that the proximal end 16 thereof is on what is typically a wide part of a player's shooting arm adjacent the shoulder while the narrower distal end 18 can be located adjacent a narrower part of the player's shooting arm adjacent the elbow.

The sleeve 10 further includes release indicia 20 located adjacent the proximal end 16 of the sleeve. When the sleeve 10 is properly worn by the player and the player has lifted the basketball in a shooting motion so that the player's arm extends outward from the front of the body with the elbow bent at an approximately ninety degree angle, the release indicia 20 is positioned on the player's upper arm. As shown in FIG. 4, the player moves their forearm upward during the act of shooting so that the release indicia on the article will come into the lower portion of the field of view of the player's peripheral vision as the player looks forward at the basket. Once the player sees the release indicia in his or her peripheral vision, the player should release the ball.

If the player does not see the release indicia in their peripheral vision, the player's shoulders may not be properly squared to the basket due to shifting of the shooting shoulder backwards away from the basket during the shooting motion. In other words, rather than squaring up to the basket so that a line between the player's shoulders extends orthogonally to a line from the player to the basket, shifting the shooting shoulder back causes the shoulder line to extend obliquely to the line between the player and the basket.

The release indicia 20 is positioned on the sleeve so that, when a player properly wears the sleeve, the release indicia 20 is located between the player's elbow and shoulder, preferably with the release indicia 20 located at the player's bicep, and more preferably along the upper portion of the player's bicep. As depicted in FIG. 5, sleeve 10 is positioned on the player's arm with the release indicia 20 positioned between the player's elbow 30 and shoulder 32 on bicep 34. Dashed line 36 divides bicep 34 into two portions, a bicep upper portion 38 and a bicep lower portion 40, with bicep upper portion 38 located between the center of the player's bicep and shoulder, and with bicep lower portion 40 located between the center of the player's bicep and elbow. As shown in FIG. 5, release indicia 20 is properly located at bicep upper portion 38.

FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the sleeve 10 on the player's arm showing the positioning of the sleeve 10 between the player's shoulder and elbow. FIG. 7 provides an additional view of the sleeve 10 on the player's arm.

The release indicia can be a variety of types of indicia, including, but not limited to, logos, words, phrases, symbols, and pictures. The release indicia can be provided in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. It is preferable that the release indicia be provided in a color or colors that contrasts with the surrounding sleeve color so that the release indicia can be easily recognized and seen by the player during the basketball shooting motion. In FIGS. 1-3, the sleeve color is light in color, such as primarily white, while the release indicia is dark, such as primarily black. In FIGS. 4-7, the sleeve color is dark, such as primarily black, while the release indicia is light in color, such as primarily white. While the release indicia should be of a size, shape, and color effective to be seen by the player's peripheral vision as the release indicia comes into the lower portion of the player's field of view when raising the shooting arm to shoot the basketball, the release indicia should not be so large as to be seen by the player too early in the shooting process. In one aspect, the release indicia is a circle having a diameter of about one inch. The circular release indicia can have a white background and include a colored company logo to further enhance its distinctive visual appearance relative to the surrounding darker sleeve color. The reverse coloring can also be employed such as with the release indicia having a dark background on a lighter colored sleeve so that the release indicia is readily distinguishable and visible once it is brought into the peripheral vision of the player. It is generally preferred that the release indicia not comprise a line circumscribing the sleeve as the release indicia may be seen in the peripheral vision of the player prematurely in the shooting process.

In another aspect, the article may also include alignment indicia. The alignment indicia is located on the outer surface 24 of the article 10 and is axially spaced from the release indicia 20 along the axial length of the sleeve. The alignment indicia is located on the article so that when the article is properly worn, the alignment indicia is positioned above the player's elbow and below or on the player's bicep. In one aspect and as shown in FIG. 5, the alignment indicia 22 is positioned at the player's bicep lower portion 40.

The alignment indicia is configured to allow the player to align the alignment indicia with a target, such as the basketball hoop or other target used in practice or training drills. In one aspect and as shown in FIGS. 2-4, 6, and 7, the alignment indicia includes two lines 22 that diverge away from each other as they extend toward the sleeve distal end 18. As shown, the proximal ends of the lines 22 can be spaced from each other. The release indicia 20 is generally circumferentially centered relative to the diverging lines 22 as can be seen best in FIGS. 3, 4, 6, and 7. As shown in FIG. 4, in this manner, the player can align the diverging lines 22 of the alignment indicia with the target to assist with proper aim of the basketball while at the same time getting the benefit of the indication as to the proper time to release the basketball as provided by the release indicia circumferentially centered between and longitudinally spaced from the diverging lines 22 of the alignment indicia. By this approach, the player aligns the alignment indicia with the basketball hoop in preparation for taking the basketball shot. As the forearm of the player's shooting arm moves upward to take the shot, the release indicia on the player's upper arm comes into the field of view of the player's peripheral vision as the player looks forward at the hoop. Once the player sees the release indicia in his or her peripheral vision, the player should release the ball.

In one aspect, the article includes a securing component for providing close fit of the article about the upper arm. Because the article is used to help the player determine the proper time for releasing the ball, the article should not shift or slip on the player's arm prior to or during shooting the basketball. By one approach, the article may include circumferential elastic material to secure the article in place on the player's arm. For example, as best seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, the article includes circumferential elastic bands 26, one each at the proximal and distal ends. Other configurations can be provided, if desired, to ensure that the article remains substantially in the same position during movement of the player's arm. To this end, the sleeve material can be resiliently flexible or elastic to also provide a grip on the player's upper arm along the axial length of the sleeve between the elastic end bands 26.

By another approach, the article may also include fasteners that can be selectively used by the player to ensure that the article does not move during play. For example, the article may include buttons that can be used to provide the desired level of tightness or close fit of the sleeve about the player's arm. Any fasteners known in the art can be used. For example, fasteners include hook and loop type fasteners, snaps, buttons, zippers, and the like. The article may also be fastened to other types of garments, if desired. For example, the article may be fastened on the sleeve of a long sleeved t-shirt.

In another aspect, the fabric forming the article can be a material that is comfortable yet has the flexibility and elasticity required to provide the article with a snug (i.e., closely conforming) fit over the upper arm of the wearer and to prevent the article from substantially slipping or shifting out of place during movement of the player's arm. The terms “flexible,” “flexibility,” and similar terms refer to the property of readily conforming to the general shape and contours of the wearer's body. For example, suitable materials include natural and synthetic materials, such as, but not limited to, nylon, polyester, elastane (i.e., SPANDEX®, Lycra®), cotton blends, and combinations thereof. Generally it is desired that the fabric used to make the article be resiliently flexible because, while it is desirable that the article not shift on the player's arm, the article should not impede the freedom of movement of the player's arm or provide discomfort to the wearer. The article should expand and contract with the movement of the wearer's arm and not sag or gap during the shooting process. Such a fit assists in maintaining the release indicia in the proper position on the arm so that the wearer can properly time the release of the basketball. A loose fitting article is more likely to result in the article shifting such that the release indicia is no longer in the proper location for releasing the ball during the act of shooting.

The article can be provided in a variety of sizes and shapes depending on the weight, size, and musculature of the wearer, as well as any specific needs of that wearer. The dimensions of the article for a particular wearer can be readily selected by one of ordinary skill in the art based on the teachings herein. The dimensions will also be dictated, at least in part, by manufacturing considerations, including cost and ease of machinability, as well as in manufacturing various sizes of the article.

The article may be provided in a variety of configurations. As shown in FIGS. 1-7, the article may be provided in the form of a removable sleeve that is worn separately from other articles of clothing on the player's upper body, such as a jersey or shirt. The sleeve can be provided in a variety of lengths. For example, the sleeve can be configured as a full length sleeve that is configured to be worn over the player's forearm and upper arm. Also, for example, the sleeve can be configured to cover only the player's upper arm or a portion thereof, such as in the configuration of a cuff or armband.

In another aspect, the article may be provided as part or sleeve portion of a garment such as a jacket, long sleeved shirt, sweatshirt, jersey, or the like, where a sleeve of that garment includes release indicia located between the player's elbow and shoulder when the garment is being worn. The configuration selected should permit the training article to be unobtrusive, lightweight, and comfortably worn by a player during practice or during a game.

The release indicia and alignment indicia can be provided on the article by any method, including, for example, textile printing, stitching, screen-printing, digital textile printing, and heat pressing. In one aspect, the indicia is printed on the outer surface of the article. The article does not include any electronic components and the indicia is sighted by the wearer without reliance on audio or lighted visual cues.

A training method is also provided. The method includes:

positioning an article on the upper portion of a player's shooting arm, with the article including release indicia located between the player's elbow and shoulder, preferably located at the player's bicep, and more preferably at the player's upper bicep;

sighting the release indicia in the player's peripheral vision when raising the shooting arm to shoot a basketball; and

releasing the basketball when the release indicia is sighted.

The training article and method described herein can easily be used by the player to help improve the player's shoulder positioning and timing of release of the ball. In accordance with good shooting technique, the player should position his or her legs approximately shoulder width apart and square his or her shoulders to the basket. The ball should be placed in the shooting hand and supported by the fingertips with the fingers spread apart and the middle finger positioned at the center of the ball. The non-shooting arm should support the ball but not be included in the act of shooting. The forearm of the player's shooting arm should be at about a 90 degree angle to the player's upper arm. As the forearm moves upward to take the shot, the release indicia on the article comes into the player's peripheral vision as the player looks at the target. When the player sees the release indicia in his or her peripheral vision, the player should release the ball. If the player does not see the release indicia, the player's shoulders, particularly the shoulder of the shooting arm, may not be properly squared to the basket.

The method may further include aligning alignment indicia with a target prior to releasing the basketball. The target may be a basketball hoop or any target used in practice or training drills.

In another aspect, a method of constructing a basketball shooting training device is also provided. The method includes:

providing a sleeve for fitting on a player's shooting arm; and

locating release indicia adjacent a proximal end of the sleeve with the release indicia used for timing the proper release of the basketball during shooting thereof.

The method may further include sizing the sleeve to fit on the player's upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow of the player's shooting arm with the release indicia adjacent an opening of the sleeve at the proximal end to allow the release indicia to be positioned at or adjacent the upper portion of the player's bicep of the shooting arm when the sleeve is worn. In another aspect, the method may include locating alignment indicia on the sleeve axially spaced from the release indicia with the alignment indicia used for aligning the player's shooting arm with a target. By one approach, the alignment indicia includes a pair of lines that diverge away from each other as the lines extend distally on the sleeve. Locating the release indicia adjacent the sleeve proximal end includes generally centering the release indicia relative to the alignment indicia lines longitudinally spaced therefrom.

Example

A training article is provided in the form of a sleeve as shown in FIG. 2. The sleeve has a length of 8 inches and a width of 4.625 inches at the distal end and a width of 5.125 inches at the proximal end. The sleeve includes a circular release indicia, the circle having a diameter of approximately 1.25 inches. The center of the circle is approximately 1.5 inches from the proximal end and about 6.5 inches from the distal end of the sleeve. The sleeve also includes two diverging lines forming the alignment indicia as shown in FIG. 2. The lines are 0.5 inches wide and 1.5 inches long.

It will be understood that various changes, modifications, alterations, and combinations in the details, materials, and arrangements of the parts and components that have been described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the basketball shooting training article and method as described herein may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of this disclosure. 

1. An article for training proper basketball shooting technique, the article comprising: a sleeve having an elongate cylindrical body including proximal and distal ends, and an opening at the proximal end and an opening at the distal end for passage of a player's arm therethrough; and release indicia located on the sleeve adjacent the sleeve proximal end to allow the release indicia to be located between the player's elbow and shoulder when the sleeve is worn.
 2. The article according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve proximal end is wider than the sleeve distal end to allow the sleeve to be worn so that the release indicia is located at the upper portion of the player's bicep.
 3. The article according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve has an axial length sized to allow the sleeve to be positioned between the player's elbow and shoulder.
 4. The article according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve is a sleeve portion of a garment selected from the group consisting of jacket, long sleeved shirt, sweatshirt, and jersey.
 5. The article according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve is of a resiliently flexible fabric material.
 6. The article according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve includes alignment indicia located to allow the sleeve to be worn with the alignment indicia located between the player's elbow and bicep.
 7. The article according to claim 6, wherein the alignment indicia is a pair of lines that diverge away from each other as the lines extend distally, and the release indicia is longitudinally spaced from the alignment indicia lines and generally circumferentially centered relative thereto.
 8. A method for training proper basketball shooting technique, the method comprising: positioning an article on the upper portion of a player's shooting arm, the article including release indicia located between the player's elbow and shoulder; sighting the release indicia in the player's peripheral vision when raising the shooting arm to shoot a basketball; and releasing the basketball when the release indicia is sighted.
 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the article is positioned on the upper portion of the player's shooting arm so that the release indicia is located at the upper portion of the player's bicep.
 10. The method according to claim 8, wherein the method further comprises aligning alignment indicia with a target prior to releasing the basketball.
 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the target is a basketball hoop.
 12. The method according to claim 8, wherein the article is a sleeve and positioning the article comprises fitting the sleeve on the player's shooting arm between the elbow and shoulder of the shooting arm.
 13. The method according to claim 8, wherein the article is a sleeve portion of a garment selected from the group consisting of jacket, long sleeved shirt, sweatshirt, and jersey, and positioning the article comprises wearing the garment so that the sleeve portion is on the player's shooting arm.
 14. A method of constructing a basketball shooting training device, the method comprising: providing a sleeve for fitting on a player's shooting arm; and locating release indicia adjacent a proximal end of the sleeve with the release indicia used for timing the proper release of the basketball during shooting thereof.
 15. The method of claim 14 including sizing the sleeve to fit on the player's upper arm between the shoulder and the elbow of the player's shooting arm with the release indicia adjacent an opening of the sleeve at the proximal end to allow the release indicia to be positioned at or adjacent the upper portion of the player's bicep of the shooting arm when the sleeve is worn.
 16. The method of claim 14 including locating alignment indicia on the sleeve axially spaced from the release indicia with the alignment indicia used for aligning the player's shooting arm with a target.
 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the alignment indicia includes a pair of lines that diverge away from each other as the lines extend distally on the sleeve, and locating the release indicia adjacent the sleeve proximal end includes generally centering the release indicia relative to the alignment indicia lines longitudinally spaced therefrom. 